St. Louis, Missouri (August 1, 2012) -- The Monsanto Fund, the philanthropic arm of Monsanto Company, announced a $25,000 grant to St. Louis Language Immersion Schools (SLLIS). SLLIS will use the funds to improve its outdoor science classroom at its current location on Papin Street, and to create a new outdoor science classroom at its new location on Pine Street.

This will be Monsanto Fund's second donation to SLLIS' outdoor science classrooms initiative. In 2010, the Monsanto Fund granted SLLIS $14,282 to establish its first outdoor science classroom at the current Papin Street location.

"The new and improved outdoor science classrooms will positively impact our students' knowledge about the environment, including how to take care of our natural world for the future. With Monsanto Fund's ongoing partnership, our students will experience nature hands-on in a way that was not previously possible," says Rhonda Broussard, President and Founder of SLLIS.

SLLIS' current outdoor science classroom has a garden, a pond and a small greenhouse to teach students about sustainable living. With the recent grant from the Monsanto Fund, SLLIS will be able to install new, exciting, and educational features at both locations. In addition to the construction of the second classroom, both outdoor science classrooms will be updated with a chicken coop, allowing students to learn about the life cycle, interact with, and care for animals. Planters, instruments to measure the weather, and rotating installations for plants will enhance the students' knowledge of seasonal change. The goal of the outdoor science classroom initiative is to create an engaging and educational outdoor learning space for students to explore nature in an urban environment, supplementing SLLIS' inquiry-based curriculum. Thus far, the outdoor science classroom project has been a success; benefiting students, teachers and families. The program has even inspired the creation of an after-school gardening club.

"SLLIS is a phenomenal educational program that the Monsanto Fund is proud to support," said Monsanto Fund president Deborah Patterson. "With these outdoor science classrooms, children will have access to the tools they need to develop and enhance math and science knowledge that is so important for students' educational success."

About SLLIS

St. Louis Language Immersion Schools (SLLIS) is a network of public charter schools in St. Louis, Missouri, classified as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. SLLIS' mission is to position all children for success in local and global economies through holistic, intellectually inspiring language immersion programs. SLLIS is open to all city residents and children who live in counties that participate in the Voluntary Transfer Program. SLLIS offers tuition free, full-day immersion education in French, Spanish, and Mandarin. The terms of SLLIS' charter allows for a full K-12 articulation with both a Missouri state diploma and an International Baccalaureate diploma. In the upcoming school year SLLIS will serve 800 students. Future languages offered will include Japanese, German, Russian, Farsi and Arabic. SLLIS' vision is strengthening the pipeline of creative, culturally astute leaders prepared for success in post-secondary education institutions; increasing St. Louis' visibility as a preferred community in which to live, work and raise a family by preparing students to prevail in global economic competition; and promoting intercultural dialogue, altruism and civic pride. To donate, volunteer or for more information about SLLIS, contact Rachel D'Souza-Siebert, Director of Development at rachel.douza-siebert@sllis.org or 314-533-0975.

About the Monsanto Fund

The Monsanto Fund, the philanthropic arm of the Monsanto Company, is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to strengthening the communities where farmers and Monsanto Company employees live and work. Visit the Monsanto Fund at
http://www.monsantofund.org .